User manual
Table Of Contents
- Contents
- Chapter 1 Introducing FileMaker Pro
- Chapter 2 Using FileMaker Pro
- About fields and records
- Opening and closing files
- Opening multiple windows per file
- Saving files
- About modes
- Viewing records
- Adding and duplicating records
- Deleting records
- Entering data
- Working with data in Table View
- Finding records
- Sorting records
- Previewing and printing files
- Backing up files
- Setting preferences
- Chapter 3 Designing and creating solutions
- Planning a solution
- Creating a FileMaker Pro file
- Creating and changing fields
- Setting options for fields
- Creating database tables
- Creating layouts and reports
- Working with layout themes
- Working with layout object, part, and background styles
- Setting up a layout to print records in columns
- Working with objects on a layout
- Working with fields on a layout
- Working with layout parts
- Creating and editing charts
- Chapter 4 Working with related tables and files
- Chapter 5 Sharing data
- Sharing databases on a network
- Importing and exporting data
- Supported import/export file formats
- Setting up recurring imports
- ODBC and JDBC
- Methods of importing data into an existing file
- About adding records
- About updating existing records
- About updating matching records
- About the importing process
- Converting a data file to a new FileMaker Pro file
- About the exporting process
- Working with external data sources
- Publishing solutions on the web
- Chapter 6 Protecting files
- Protecting databases with accounts and privilege sets
- Creating accounts and privilege sets
- Viewing extended privileges
- Authorizing access to files
- Security measures
- Enhancing physical security
- Enhancing operating system security
- Establishing network security
- Backing up databases and other important files
- Installing, running, and upgrading antivirus software
- Chapter 7 Using FileMaker Pro Advanced
- Index
Chapter 4
Working with related tables and files
This chapter explains the basics of how to:
1 plan a relational database
1 create and edit relationships
1 create and edit lookups
FileMaker Pro uses related tables as the basis for relational databases and lookups. Relational
databases allow you to work with data from other tables dynamically, so that when you change
data in one place, your changes are reflected in all places where the related data appears.
Lookups let you copy and paste data from one table to another; once looked-up data has been
inserted, it does not change unless you edit it or tell FileMaker
Pro to look it up again.
Use relational databases to:
1 See and work with data from another (or the current) table in its most up-to-date state. For
example, display data in related fields when you need current data from a related table, such
as the current price of an item. As data changes in the related records, you see those changes
in the current table.
1 Set up and manage data efficiently and with flexibility. Instead of creating many database tables
or files with duplicate values, you store single occurrences of values and use relationships to
make those values available. You can then make changes to data in only one place, which
eliminates data duplication and promotes data accuracy.
1 Save disk space, because data is stored in only one place.
Use lookups to copy data from a related table and keep it as copied, even when the related data
changes. For example, use a lookup to copy the price of an item at the time of purchase into an
Invoices table. Even if the price in the related table changes, the price in the Invoices table stays
the same.
FileMaker Pro can also access data stored in other FileMaker Pro files and external ODBC data
sources, which allows you to combine data stored in your FileMaker
Pro file with data from these
external sources. You can work with data in SQL databases that share information through ODBC.
You can also use supplemental fields in FileMaker
Pro to perform calculation and summary
operations on data stored in ODBC data sources. For more information about using FileMaker
Pro
with external data sources, see
“Working with external data sources” on page 108.
For information about solution, see “Planning a solution” on page 37.
Note See Help for detailed, comprehensive information and step-by-step procedures about
using FileMaker
Pro.